Edwin a



(No Model.) A

E. A. LBLAND. GOUPLING FR STEAM PIPES FOR RAILWAY CAR HEATINGAPPARATUS..

No. 407,671. Patented July 23, 1889.

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ling-piece is supported.

The invention consists inthe several novel` UNITED STAT-Es PATENTOFFICE.

EDWIN A. LELAND, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AssIGNoR rro LEONARD RICHARDSON,OF SAME PLACE.

COUPLING FOR ST-EANl-PIPES FOR llAlLWAY-.CAR-HEATING APPARAIUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersjPatent No. 407,671, dated July 23,1889.

Application filed April 16, 1889. Serial ITO. 307,430. (No model.)

AYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Couplings forSteam-Pipes for Railway- Oar-Heating Apparatus, of which theV followingis a specication.

My invention relates to steam-heating apparatus for railway-cars; andthe particular purpose thereof is to provide an all-metal coupling orconnection whereby the trainpipes may be connected between the severalcars, said coupling having the capacity of permitting universal movementof the connected sections in every possible direction without leakageand without material wear of the metallic packings. It is my purpose,also, to provide a comparatively simple and durable construction wherebythe Wear Of the packing shall be compensated and the .joints between thecoupling-sections rendered tight and durable, the Wear of the packingbeing taken up by automatic means. I also propose to combine with thecoupling-section attached to each train-pipe a spring-buckle by whichthe coupfeatures of construction and new combination of partshereinafter fully set forth, and

then definitely pointed out in the claims folling-section enlarged,together with a portion of the train-pipe and the intermediateexpansion-chamber. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of Fig. 2 on the linea: Fig. 4 is a detail section of one part of the packing-jointconnecting the coupling-section with the expansion-chamber. Fig. 5 is adet-ail section showing the spring-buckle.

In the said drawings, the reference-n umeral 1 shows the body of thecar, beneath which the train-pipe 2 is arranged in the usual manner.This train-pipe at each end makes communicationrwith anexpansion-chamber 3, arranged beneath the end of the car and supportedin any suitable manner.

The expansion-chamber 3 consists of a cylindrical shell 3, into one endof which is threaded a cap 4, through which the trainpipe 2 enters. Theshell 3 is supported under the car by means of a loop or bracket 5 or byany other suitable means.

Threaded into the end of the expansionshell 3, next to the platform ofthe car, is a short cylindrical section 6, having` a collar 7, whichabuts against the end of the shell 3. Outside this collar the metal iscontracted to form afzonoidal section S of a sphere, an opening 9 beingformed in said portion to admit a short sleeve 10, upon which is formeda spherical section 12, which accurately fits the zonoid cap S.

. Threaded into the inner end of the short cylindrical' section 6 is apacking-ring 13, having at equal intervals nipples 14 tapped `throughsaid ring and containing plungers 15 and springslG actingthereon, saidplungers bearing against an annulus 17, by which a. suitable packing 1Sis compressed, said packing lying in a packing-chamber 18, whichcontracts in the direction of spring-tension `between the wall of the,short cylindrical sleeve 6 and the surface of the spheroid or sphericalsection 12, the wear of the packing `being instantly taken up by thetension of the spring-actuated plungers.

The spheroidal or spherical section 12 is formed upon one end of theshort sleeve 10, which projects alittle in front of the opening 9,through which said sleeve projects, and Vwhereby its movement in alldirections, not exceeding forty or forty-five degrees of movement uponthe longitudinal radius, is permitted.

Entering and sliding within t-he short sleeve 10 is a coupling-pipesection 2O` the end of which projects somewhat within theexpansion-chamber 3. This pipe-section passes through a packing-box2l,l1aving a substantially conical or flaring form and screwed upon theouter end of the sleeve 10.

Into the end of this box is tapped a cap 22,-

ever material composed is tightly compressed Within the contracted endof the packingboX. A collar 26 is mounted on the couplingpipe section,and is connected by a chain 2oL or other suitable means to the bracketor loop 5, supporting the expansion-chamber 3, whereby the telescopingmovement of the pipe-section is limited in both directions.

Inasmuch as the coupling-sections 10 are necessarily of better iinishand require a closer t within the universal bearing or spherical section12, as well as within the packing-box 21, I may utilize the collar 26 asan attachment or connection between the coupling-section 2O and aseparate pipe-section 20a, the ends of said sections being tapped intoopposite ends of the collar and bearing against an interior ange 27.Upon the extremity of the pipe-section 2Oa I employ the construction andcombination of parts shown .by an application tiled by me upon the 11thday of April, 1889, Serial No. 306,787, or any other coupling mechanismadapted to imite the parts.

In order to sustain the weight of the coupling-pipe section and at thesame time permit its free universal movement within the spherical joint,I provide a spring-buckle (shown in Fig. 5) consisting' of an eye 27,forming part of a rod 28, which is passed through a screw-cap 29, turnedupon a cylindrical casing 30. A spiral spring 31 of suitable forcesurrounds the rod 28 and supports a washer 32, adj ustably mounted onsaid rod. The cylindrical casing 30 is tapped into a screw-cap 33 at itsupper end, said cap being suspended from the car. The eye or loop 27surrounds the pipe, as shown in Fig. l.

By interposing the expansion-chamber 3 between the train-pipe and thespherical joint, and by so arranging the pipe-coupling relativelythereto that the telescoping eX- tremity of the coupling-section shallhave a limited longitudinal play within said eXpansion-chamber, I amable to provide a coupling in which all the needed play of the rigidcoupling-pipe sections, as Well as their longitudinal or telescopicadjust-ments, is amply provided for. Moreover, by forming thepacking-chamber 18 in the manner set forth the wear is immediately takenup by the tension of the spring-plungers 15, which may be adjusted asregards tension by simply turning the nipples 14 in or out. A similaradvantage is derived from the construction of the packing-box 21,surrounding the telescoping pipe-section shown in Fig. 2.

It will be seen that the telescoping pipesection may, but for thelimiting-chain 26, be withdrawn from the coupling-section, having thespherical joint or globular connection with the end of theexpansion-chamber 3. Thus the telescoping pipe-section may, in case of arupture of the coupling between the adjacent cars, be withdrawn by asimple break of the limiting-chain 26 and avoid the totaldisorganization of the parts so common in couplings of this character.

lVhat I claim is- 1. In a coupling for the steam and other pipes ofrailway-cars, the combination, with the train-pipe havin'ga cylindricalshell forming an expansion-chamber and provided with a zonoidal section,of a spherical section fitting the latter and containing an internal'sleeve having at its outer end an attached conical packing-box, apacking-ring in said conical packing-box, a spring acting upon thepacking-ring, and a coupling-pipe section telescoping in the said sleeveand conical packing-box, substantially as described.

2. In a pipe-couplingfor the steam-pipes of railway-cars, thecombination, .with the trainpipe, of a cylindrical casing forming an eX-pansion-chamber, a short cylindrical section threaded into one end ofsaid casing and having a zonoidal section, a cylindrical section havinga spheroidal bearing fitting the zonoidal section, an annular packinglocated between the spheroid and the inner face of the short cylindricalsection, and spring-actuated plungers acting on the annular packing,substantially as described.

3. In a coupling for the steam and other pipes of railway-cars, thecombination, with the train-pipe having a cylindrical shell forming anexpansion-chamber and provided with a Zonoidal section, of a sphericalsection fitting the latter and containing an internal sleeve having atits outer end an attached packing-box, a coupling-pipe sectiontelescoping in the said sleeve and packing-box and provided at its outerend With a collar, and a chain secured to said collar for limiting theoutward sliding movement of the telescoping pipe-section, substantiallyas described.

4. In a coupling for the steam-pipes of railway-cars, the combination,with the couplingpipe section having both angular and telescopicadjustment, of a spring-buckle supporting the same and consisting of aneye or loop surrounding the pipe, a rod on said eye passing through ascrew-cap turned upon a cylindrical shell or casing which contains aspiral spring supporting said rod, and a screwcap turned upon the upperend of the shell and connected to the platform-bottom, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have aixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

' EDVIN A. L'ELAND.

Vitnesses:

A. H. BRADLEY, JOHN S. HENRY.

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